Presenter If you look in the Oxford English dictionary, there are just entry after entry which clearly reflects how important it (salt) has been. But it also became a great symbol of social wealth and social status. You’ll find this in medieval times right up to the 18th century.

TejaliWow, salt was important in medieval times! But it’s so common nowadays! Medieval times म्हणजे मध्ययुग.

JamesThat’s true! Salt was very expensive, and was therefore a way to show you were wealthy, that you could afford salt.

Tejali Afford म्हणजे परवडणे. Let’s listen on - how was salt used to show people’s social status. PresenterThe rank of guests at a banquet for example was gauged by exactly where they sat in relation to a silver salt cellar that was placed on the table. The distinguished guests would sit at the head of the table, above the salt, and people who sat below the salt, furthest away from the host, were the ones who were least important.

JamesSo the closer to the salt that people were sat, the more important they were! Two common phrases we use in English because of this are ‘above the salt’ and ‘below the salt’ – meaning ‘important’ or ‘not important’.

TejaliSo all of these phrases are very positive, which shows how important salt was to people in the past.

JamesThat’s right, but that seems strange! Nowadays, salt is something which people try to avoid. A salty diet is not very good for you.

Tejali Has this changed the way that people use the word salt James?JamesYes, in fact it has!

Presenter 1 But now, in modern times there’s been a shift in that, you know, you demonise it now as a bad thing.

Presenter 2Yes, actually in slang we might just be able to detect that downturn because salty now, in slang, means irritable really or hostile even.Tejali Salty, याला इंग्रजीत समानार्थी शब्द आहेत aggressive, bitter. Agressiveम्हणजे आक्रमक, bitterम्हणजे कडवट. So, have the phrases we use with salt changed with people’s opinions?